Gold pan

ABSTRACT

An improved gold pan in which a riffle is integrally formed in the sloping side wall of the pan with the riffle spiraling downwardly and inwardly from a point adjacent the rim to a point adjacent the edge of the flat bottom portion of the pan. The riffle has a pronounced overhang on its lower edge to catch and hold back the heavy gold dust nuggets while permitting the overburden, (i.e., rocks, large grains of sand, etc.). The pan is used in a conventional manner by the miner.

United States Patent [191 Stephenson [111 3,855,119 [4 1 Dec. 17, 1974 1GOLD PAN [76] Inventor: Russell D. Stephenson, 155 W. Snell St., Sonora,Calif. 95370 [22] Filed: Aug. 15, 1973 21 Appl. N0.: 388,549

[52] US. Cl. 209/447,220/83 [51] Int. Cl B03b 3/00 [58] Field of Search220/83; 259/4; 209/447, 209/506 [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 646.382 3/1900 Collins 209/447 664066 12/1900 Tobin 209/447 l444 752 .2/1923 Ord 209/447 2.178390 10/1939 Boekel r 209/447 2.771.7559/1956 Costanzo 220/83 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 480,612 6/1961Francew, 220/83 Primary Examiner-William T. Dixson, Jr.

Assistant Examiner.l0seph Man-Fu Moy Attorney, Agent, or FirmBlair &Brown [5 7 ABSTRACT An improved gold pan in which a riffle is integrallyformed in the sloping side wall of the pan with the riffle spiralingdownwardly and inwardly from a point. adjacent the rim to a pointadjacent the edge of the flat bottom portion of the pan. The riffle hasa pronounced overhang on its lower edge to ,catch and hold back theheavy gold dust nuggets while permitting the overburden, (i.e., rocks,large grains of sand, etc.). The pan is used in a conventional manner bythe miner.

A v 2 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 1 GOLD PAN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONFIELD OF THE INVENTION SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The improved gold pan ofthe present invention has a circular flat bottom wall and a relativelylong upwardly and outwardly sloping side wall extending integrallyupwardly from the bottom wall. A riffle extends spirally inwardly anddownwardly from the outer edge of the side wall to peripheral edge ofthe bottom wall. The riffle has a curved overhang opening toward'thecenter of the pan to catch and hold the heavier gold dust or nuggetsduring the panning of gold. The overburden of rock and sand is permittedto escape the pan while the gold is retained therein.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a gold pan having agold retaining riffle formed therein.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the followingspecification when considered in light of the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1,looking in the direction of the arrows; and

which extends spirally inwardly and downwardly. from the peripheral edge.13 of the side-wall 12 to the peripheral edge 16 of the bottom wall 11.The riffle is undercut at 17 opening toward the center of the gold pair10. I

In the use and operation of the invention a miner will scoop up a panfull of material from the bottom of a stream and while still holding itunderwater gently shake it to and fro with the riffle portion facing thefront of the pan. This action will dislodge rocks and large grain sandwithout loosing the gold dust or nug nipulated completely out of thewater with the result again being the same.

The riffle is illustrated in the drawings particularly in FIG. 1 asspiraling inwardly and downwardly in a counter clockwise direction and.it should be understood that the direction of the riffle can be reversedto FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the line 3-3 of FIG.2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like referencecharacters indicate like partsthroughout the of the invention. 7

a clockwise direction if desired. In practical use of the gold pan ofthe instant invention a, considerable greater quantity of gold wasrecovered then when using an ordinary pansince all of the gold wasretained Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the inventionit should be understood that numerous structural modifications andadaptations .may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of theinvention. 1

What is claimed is:

1. In a gold pan, a circular generally flat bottom wall and an upwardlyand outwardly sloping side wall integrally secured to the bottom wallalong the peripheral edge thereof, said side wall having an outerperipheral edge, a deep spiral riffle integrally formed in said sideseveral figures, the reference numeral 10 indicates genv erally animproved gold pan constructed in accordance with the invention.

The improved gold pan 10 is normally formed integrally of metal andincludes a circular flat bottom wall 11 and an upwardly and outwardlysloping side wall 12 integrally extending from the peripheral edge ofthe flat bottom wall 11. The side wall 12 has an outer peripheral edge13 which forms the edge of the gold pan 10. The side wall 12 isthickened at 14 to form'a riffle 15 wall and extending spirally inwardlyand downwardly from points adjacent the peripheral edge of said sidewall to a point adjacent the peripheral edge of said bottom wall, andsaid riffle having an overhang opening toward the center of the goldpan, said riffle being formed by a portion of the side wallthat is ofgradually increasing thickness adjacent said riffle. I

2. A device as claimed in claim I wherein the major portion of theriffle is spaced inwardly and away from the outer peripheral edge of theside wall so that the rif-v fle has a non-parallel relationship to theoute r peripheral edge of the side wall.

in the pan

1. In a gold pan, a circular generally flat bottom wall and an upwardlyand outwardly sloping side wall integrally secured to the bottom wallalong the peripheral edge thereof, said side wall having an outerperipheral edge, a deep spiral riffle integrally formed in said sidewall and extending spirally inwardly and downwardly from points adjacentthe peripheral edge of said side wall to a point adjacent the peripheraledge of said bottom wall, and said riffle having an overhang openingtoward the center of the gold pan, said riffle being formed by a portionof the side wall that is of gradually increasing thickness adjacent saidriffle.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the major portion ofthe riffle is spaced inwardly and away from the outer peripheral edge ofthe side wall so that the riffle has a non-parallel relationship to theouter peripheral edge of the side wall.